


Friction

by Belsmomaus



Series: Malec - Advent Calendar 2018 [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Bickering brothers, Good Boyfriend Magnus Bane, Humor, Hurt Alec Lightwood, Hurt Jace Wayland, Hurt/Comfort, Jace is in way over his head, M/M, Magnus is SO done, Parabatai Bond, Protective Magnus Bane, after 2.07, before 2.08
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-17 16:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16977654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Belsmomaus/pseuds/Belsmomaus
Summary: Magnus is only trying to help.Leave it to Jace to make everything worse...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this one happens between 2.07 und 2.08 - pretending that there are a few days in between Clary and Jace finding and rescuing Ithuriel and Max' rune ceremony.

_**Friction** _

Jace (Magnus)

 

 

The sun was beating down on him. Not that Jace noticed.

He'd pushed all the furniture on Magnus' rooftop terrace to the edges of the space to get some room to train. And that was what he was doing. Pushing himself through one routine after another, the seraph blade he'd snatched from the Circle member on a pretty different rooftop a few days ago whirling in his hand. Sweat was running down his naked back and chest. It drenched his hair and every time he turned his head sharply a wet strand would jab his eyes.

It didn't work.

No matter what, he'd always been able to count on the calming focus that training would bring. Only this time, _it didn't work_. It had always worked before!

But this time it was all too much. His mind was racing with all the problems that swirled around him and threatened to drown him if he made so much as _one_ wrong step. But if he didn't move soon, he'd be swept away anyway.

He needed his mind to calm down, so that he could focus on a solution.

But it didn't work.

Jace clenched his jaw.

He would _make_ it work!

With bitter determination he threw himself into yet another set of moves, his muscles straining already. He was _desperate_ for the soothing emptiness in his head that the single minded focus of training his body usually brought.

Instead his mind was racing, flitting from one disastrous problem to the next.

They needed to find the demon that could destroy the soul sword.

It's better to destroy it than risk Valentine using it.

He didn’t dare thinking it, but deep down he knew it to be true: it’s better to destroy the sword than taking it back to the Clave. It wasn’t safe there. It wasn’t safe _with_ _them_.

He'd been searching for days now for that demon. A demon he'd never seen before. He'd run through hundreds of books, exhausted every part of Magnus' seriously impressive library that he was able to read. And the one's that were written in foreign or ancient languages he'd mostly flipped through as well, searching the pictures at least, but nothing. Absolutely nothing.

If only he could go back to the Institute and search the library there or ask the Silent Brothers for help. But he wasn't welcome there anymore. Not him, not just the son of Valentine – as if that wasn't bad enough – but the one with pure demon blood in his veins. Put there by the man who was his father, supposed to keep him safe, not use him as a lab rat.

He couldn’t be trusted. _He_ _had_ _said so himself!_ Unable to lie with the damn sword in his hands.

And Aldertree hated him for it all.

As if he didn’t hate himself enough already!

But he couldn’t ask for help either, not from the Silent Brothers nor anyone else. It would only lead to more questions. Questions about Clary and her runes and her connection to Ithuriel. Dangerous questions. _Too_ dangerous!

He couldn’t let anything happen to her. He just couldn’t.

He lov--

She was his sister, after all.

His damn fucking _SISTER_!!!

He stumbled. Recovered his footing. The tip of his seraph blade caught on one of the tables that he’d gotten too close to, throwing him off balance for good. He crashed against the ground, his knee taking the brunt of it. Pain shot through his joint, bright and blinding.

“Jace.”

“ _What_?” he hissed, pissed with the interruption. Pissed with the pain and his mistake and pissed in general, with everyone and everything. He pushed himself up, ignoring the pulsing throb in his knee and turned around.

It was Magnus.

Looking infuriatingly on top of things, styled to perfection and every crease of his eccentric outfit exactly where it should be. His very posture shouted self-confidence into the world. It seemed as if _nothing_ could faze him. And right now Jace hated him for it.

For that, and for the pity in his eyes.

At least it only lasted for a second, before his gaze flitted across the terrace, clearly not amused, judging from the way his jaw clenched.

“I see you’ve redecorated.”

“I’m not in the mood, Magnus. So what do you want?”

One of his eyebrows climbed to skeptical heights. “I can _see_ that. I just wanted to bring you this.” With an elegant motion he produced a small vial from a tiny pocket in his vest. It was filled with an alarmingly pink liquid.

Jace recoiled. From the color, from the idea of magical potions.

From the possibility of help.

“It’s something to soothe your frayed nerves a bit.”

Jace turned around, demonstratively putting his back towards the warlock. His voice sounded cold as he spoke. “I don’t need your magic. I’m fine.”

There was a sigh behind him. “No, you’re not. You haven’t been fine when you first came here, but now it’s even worse. Something has changed these last days and it’s eating away at you. Look, I don’t expect you to talk to me-”

“Then _stop_ bothering me!” he interrupted him mid-sentence, his tone harsh and angry. Matching the hot rage filling his veins.

Why couldn’t everyone just leave him alone, for fuck’s sake???

Of course Magnus didn’t back off. Probably too used to getting what he wanted, that pompous--

“Jace!” It’s not a shout and not a plea. It’s that infuriating tone of voice parents used when they’re disappointed. He hated it from the bottom of his heart. Who did that warlock think he was to speak to him like that? “You haven’t been sleeping for days now. You can’t run on your stamina rune forever. You’re lashing out at anyone who crosses your path. And you’re so on edge that you keep pushing yourself although you can barely stand up anymore.”

There’s movement at the corner of his eye. A moment later Magnus was in front of him.

“Look, I won’t tell you what to do. I know you’ll do whatever you want anyway, but know that there are people who’d gladly help you. Until you’re ready to ask for help, take this at least.” Magnus held the small vial up again. “It’s just something to calm down your nerves a bit. To take the edge of. It’ll allow your mind some rest. And therefore some sleep. The angel knows you need it.” Then, as an afterthought, a frown on his face. “You look awful.”

Jace snorted. “That’s none of your business,” he spat.

He could watch as Magnus’ expression closed off in the blink of an eye. Something hard settled in the lines of his jaw and in his eyes, something angry and powerful and controlled. And Jace found that he didn’t want to be on the receiving end should that control slip.

“You make it my business when it affects Alexander!”

Magnus pushed past him, swift and sharp and pissed as hell. He’s gone in an instant.

Leaving Jace stunned. Standing there in the bright sunlight with a chill down his spine. There’s a lump in his throat that he couldn’t swallow down. Even if he could, it would only add to the churning in his stomach.

_Alec!_

He hadn’t thought about Alec at all. About their bond. He’d been so wrapped up in his own head that he hadn’t spent _one_ thought about how all of this might translate through their parabatai bond. How all this might affect Alec.

_Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!_

Could he do nothing right???

 

 

***

 

 

Dusk was painting the sky in the most beautiful colors. Bright orange, mixed with hues of pink and blue. Though Magnus doubted that Alec had an eye for it, stressed and exhausted as he was. He’d just come over from the Institute to stay the night, like he did for a while now. Not every night, but most of them. And definitely more frequently now since they’d taken their relationship to the next level.

A smile played across his lips. He loved having Alexander in his loft and in his bed.

The smile wobbled. He’d love it more if Alec would get some proper sleep, though.

With practiced movements he poured two glasses of exquisite scotch to take them out on the balcony where Alec currently leaned against the banister. Alcohol in general might not be much to his taste, but he looked like he could really do with a strong drink right now.

Magnus was just about to lift the glasses up as he spotted Jace in the hallway, coming his way. His jaw clenched as he scowled towards the blond, slowly crossing his arms in front of his chest as the embers of his former anger caught fire again.

He didn’t know what was going on with Jace. He only knew about him leaving the Institute after being demoted. Learning about having demon blood certainly had something to do with his current behavior as well. Or that Valentine was his father. Or Clary his sister. Sure, _a lot_ had changed in the boy’s life quite recently, but his behavior, this inconsiderate sullenness, it was grating on his nerves.

Especially since it affected Alexander. The nightmares, the exhaustion that sometimes seemed to simply spill over from their bond, these sudden bouts of testiness… Alec tried to made light of it, insisting that he was fine, but it had all started a few days ago. The same time Jace had stopped sleeping. He knew that Jace didn’t care much about himself, but Magnus had thought, that he would care about Alec, at least. They were _parabatai_ after all.

Jace was quick to raise his hands in a placating gesture. He slowed down and finally stopped a few steps away. And, typically Jace, he didn’t beat around the bush.

“I’m sorry, Magnus. I-- I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you.”

That wasn’t what he’d been expecting. He’s truly baffled. This had to be the first time a shadowhunter apologized to him – apart from Alexander, that is. He nodded in acknowledgement, but nothing more than that.

“What you said about Alec...” Jace had lowered his volume as if not to be overheard. He licked his lips, clearly uncomfortable, and cast a quick glance towards the balcony. Towards Alec. “I should have-” He broke off again, his voice cracking. Magnus wasn’t sure if he’d seen the cocky blond ever look so unsure of himself. And so very, very lost. “Do you still have that potion?”

And something within him softened. He wasn’t sure if it was because the boy actually _did_ care about his parabatai – clearly more than about himself – or because he simply couldn’t stand seeing a look like that on anyone. He loosened his tense posture and unfolded his arms. A tentative smile tugged at his lips.

“Apology accepted. And the potion is on my desk in the apothecary.” He nodded towards the respective door. “Just don’t touch anything!”

Jace smiled, relieved. He looked even worse than on the rooftop that afternoon. An unhealthy shade of pale with dark bruises underneath his sunken eyes.

“Thank you!” Then, after a short pause. “How long until it starts working?”

“It’s more of a gradual effect, but- I’d say around an hour until it takes full effect.”

Jace nodded. “Alright. Then I’ll head out for a quick drink and some change of scenery. I’ll try to get some sleep, afterwards. Promise.” He turned around and headed straight for the apothecary.

Magnus called after him: “It’s the pink one!”

Feeling lighter already he finally grabbed those drinks and headed out onto the balcony.

 

 

***

 

 

Alec’s lips were hot against his own. Pliant and eager, hungry for more.

He pushed himself up a little bit to get a better angle at that delicious mouth. Their groins rubbed against each other, tantalizing, promising. Alec moaned into his mouth. The sound alone sent shivers down his spine and he pressed closer, wanted to feel more of that hot skin against his chest.

This wasn’t exactly how he’d thought this evening would go, seeing how worn out Alec had looked. And yet, soft kisses on the balcony had developed a life of their own and turned heated and more and more passionate. One thing had led to another and now he was here, in his bed with the most amazing man he’d ever met. Alec met each and every one of his actions with equal passion, if not more, and Magnus only had to make sure to power him out in every sense of the word. That and Jace finally sleeping should make sure that he’d wake up to a well rested boyfriend tomorrow, eventually rid of one of his worries.

If that’s what it took to grant Alec a night of blissful sleep and some much needed rest, he was the last to complain.

Alec’s hands roamed his back, digging into his muscles every now and then. He grinned against Alec’s lips as he realized that said digging coincided with those moments he did that thing with his tongue. That little swirl that he’d learned early on turned Alec into putty in his hands.

Alec panted, pushing his hips up against him to get more friction. His hands roamed on, reaching further as if he wanted to envelope him with everything he had, as he rubbed his forearms along his sides. It felt a bit weird, but his shadowhunter _was_ still new to all of this after all.

And promptly proofed himself a clever and eager student as he bit into Magnus’ lip.

He gasped in surprise, not so much at the sting. Alec was quick to gently suck on it to take the sting away. And Magnus forgot about anything else.

“Cheeky,” he panted against Alec’s lips, grinning like an idiot while doing so.

Alec’s voice was husky and filled with mirth. “I learned from the best.”

Magnus went right back to it. He pressed closer still, reveling in the slight roughness of Alec’s chest hair against his own skin. They really, really needed to get rid of their jeans. But his hands were currently otherwise engaged. One buried into that thick, dark hair; the other busy with tweaking a nipple. He wasn’t ready yet to part with either activity to perform magic. And he was even less ready to separate himself from Alec to get rid of their pants the conventional way.

Alec’s legs spread wider, pulling him in even closer. One of his legs curled around Magnus’ and he pulled it up, rubbing his inner thigh all the way up to Magnus’ hip. Then down again. And up again, faster this time. More eager for more.

He kissed his way down Alec’s neck, licked and nibbled at the delicate skin, kissed the black lines of the deflect rune and trailed further down to his collarbone. His splayed hand against Alec’s side steadied him as he leaned with his elbow on the mattress and worked his lips and teeth to mark that pale skin. Not with a rune, but a hickey. Alec’s hand bumped a few times against his own, as if he didn’t know what to do with it. But then Alec’s other hand pressed against his shoulder and he tilted his head down until it rested against Magnus’.

Magnus could feel Alec’s cheek press down against the spikes of his hair. It rubbed against his hair. Back and forth.

Back and forth.

He frowned.

Even more so as Alec moaned in pleasure.

This was new. And a bit weird.

Not that he was opposed to weird, it was just...

He paused in his ministrations and pushed up a bit. That’s when he noticed that Alec was absentmindedly scratching his belly. And he was still rubbing his leg against him.

His frown only deepened. He’s not really sure if he should be offended or amused at being used as some kind of full-body-scratcher. Anyway, he grabbed Alec’s still scratching hand, keeping him from going on, and looked up.

“Are you alright?”

There’s only confusion in those hazel eyes at first. Then Alec’s brow furrowed and from second to second he looked more uncomfortable until he freed his hand and started scratching at his chest. “Itches,” was all he said, puzzled and annoyed.

_You don’t say!_

He raised an eyebrow, giving his best not to laugh. “You know, a shower every once in a while usually helps.”

It was a joke. _Of course_ it was, but Alec obviously failed to see the humor in it. He pouted – which was quite adorable, actually – and pushed him off – which was far from adorable – to scrabble back until he sat with his back against the headrest. And rasped at his chest with both his hands now.

“Haha, very funny. I showered in the Institute before I came here, just so you know. Did you use a different shower gel today? Or a new lotion?”

“No, wh-- wait,” he got up into a kneeling position, “you think this is because of _me_?” He’s still not sure if she should be amused or offended, but right now he was almost inclined to the latter.

“What else can it be? It has to be an allergic reaction, right? And it’s not the detergent, since these are the same sheets as this morning, so the only thing left is-- _argh, dammit!!_ ” Alec scratched even harder at himself, his fingernail roaming his chest, belly, his arms, his neck. He pulled his legs up and raked his fingers across his thighs through the jeans.

Magnus wasn’t sure if he was aware that he was doing it, but he rubbed his back against the headrest in small, scratching movements.

It looked absolutely ridiculous.

And the grin he’d been fighting so hard won out in the end.

Alec glowered back. Although it wasn’t even half as intimidating as usual with him wiggling about like that. “ _NOT FUNNY!_ ”

He really tried to keep himself from giggling, which only turned into a snort. “But it is.” Alec growled. “A bit?” He ducked out of the way as Alec’s hand slapped in his direction. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry.” He raised his hand in submission and scooted closer. “Come here.”

It wasn’t meant literally, since they were already right next to each other, it was more to calm him down a bit. Magnus called his magic into his hand with a snap of his finger. Blue wisps swirled around his fingers. He turned his hand and sent his magic into his boyfriend’s body. Something had to be wrong and he was intent on finding the problem and solving it. As interesting as this interlude had been, he would really prefer to go back to their earlier activities.

Only…

He frowned.

“What? What’s wrong?” Alec wanted to know.

“Nothing. There- there’s nothing wrong with you.” Absolutely nothing out of the order. But that wasn’t possible, right? He sagged back on his heels, dropping his hand, the blue wisps dissolving. “There’s nothing I can do.”

“ _What_?” It’s a whisper. It’s a shout. Or something in between. Anyway, it rang in Magnus’ ears. Angry and confused and a bit scared.

He didn’t understand. Something clearly _was_ wrong, so why couldn’t he detect the cause? Why couldn’t he help? He _hated_ feeling helpless. Especially when it came to those he cared about.

His eyes followed the frantic movements of hands, scraping away at already reddened skin. The sound of fingernails against skin filled the room, reverberated through his mind. There had to be something he could do. Alec scratched at his chest. His hand flitted lower, towards his side. Right above his parabatai rune.

And suddenly it clicked within his mind.

_That damn idiot!!!_

“Jace!”

Just at that moment, beyond the bedroom a door crashed open, the noise loud and unmistakably from the front door. And a booming shout rang through the whole loft.

“ _MAGNUS!!!_ ”

 

_to be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

 

He didn’t bother with throwing on a dressing gown or a shirt as he got up. The bedroom door had to suffer his annoyance. It crashed into the wall as he slid it open more forcefully than intended. Few long and hurried strides were all it took to get him to his front door, that stood still wide open with Jace against the doorframe.

Jace was _a mess_!

He was rubbing his back against the edge of the doorframe, up and down, from side to side. His right hand clutched at his stele-- and dragged it harshly against his jeans in jerky movements, _scratching_ himself. His left hand raked across his chest and stomach and shoulders, hectically, over and over again.

There was something wild in his heterochromatic eyes. Something desperate. And betrayed.

“Jace?” It was Alec who asked. One quick glance told him that his boyfriend had indeed followed him – of course he had – and now stood in the open door to the bedroom, moving about uncomfortably, rubbing his hands along his arms and chest. “What happened?”

Jace ignored his brother completely, though. Instead he glared at Magnus and growled: “ _What did you do to me???_ ”

In the corner of his eyes he saw Alec turning his way. “ _You_ did this?”

Magnus rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling, praying for patience, and sighed. The sigh of an old man faced with the shenanigans of children. And in the end that’s exactly what this was. Seriously, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt all his hundreds of years weighing down on him as in this very moment. This totally unnecessary, exasperating moment.

God, he was tired.

“You took the rose vial.”

“I took the one you told me to!” Jace shouted right back at him, defiant and pissed, his natural state these last days. “ _And you poisoned me!!!_ ”

He chose to ignore that last bit. Not because it didn’t piss him off – it did – and not because Jace clearly wasn’t thinking straight, but for Alexander’s sake.

“No,” he replied, trying hard to keep his voice level. “I said pink! You clearly took the rose… never mind. How much did you-” Magnus looked him over, head to toe. The way he couldn’t keep still, always moving, fidgeting, rubbing. The angry red welts from blunt fingernails on his skin. Visible at his neck, at his side where his shirt had ridden up. And he heaved a sigh. He didn’t need to ask, the answer was staring him right in the face.

He facepalmed. And dragged his hand across his face until it dropped tiredly down his side.

“You drank the whole thing.”

“Would someone care to explain what _the hell_ is going on?” It was Alec, taking a step forward, demanding answers. He was constantly scratching at himself, but far less frantic and desperate than Jace.

Jace, who currently rubbed the toe of his shoe against his calf, scraped his nails across his skalp and practically clawed at his stomach underneath his shirt. Jace, who threw his chin up in an angry nod towards him before he faced Alec.

“He’s pissed that I hurt you and now he’s punishing me!”

Alec frowned. “What?”

Hearing mostly disbelief in his boyfriend’s voice – he believed _him_ more than his parabatai – filled him with a childish joy.

Still, enough was enough!

His voice growled in his chest as he spoke. Deep, dark and menacing. “Don’t put this on me, you colorblind idiot!” Magnus turned to Alec then to explain, nothing in his mild tone hinted at the threat from two seconds ago. “I’ve seen how much his distress has been bothering you these last days, so I made Jace a potion that would calm down his nerves a bit. Enough so that he would finally get some sleep – and therefore you as well.” He fixed his attention back to the blond, eyes narrowed. “But of course he took the _wrong_ vial from my desk. He picked the special favor for a very old friend who got cheated out of a position yet again that should’ve been hers for years now. I prepared her a highly concentrated itching solution that would’ve been enough for the whole management level of her company. But _your parabatai_ drank it all _by himself_ and since you’re bonded...” he trailed off. There was no more explanation needed.

Alec frowned, rubbing his socked foot against his shin. “That’s why you couldn’t heal me. Because it was coming from Jace.”

“ _Could you please DO something about it?!?!_ ” Jace shouted, whined, pleaded. Somehow he managed all of it at once.

Magnus was very much tempted to simply leave that rude, arrogant idiot to his own devices. But he _was_ his boyfriend’s parabatai. And he would never willingly let Alexander suffer for his brother’s idiocy.

He rolled his eyes, threw his arms up much more melodramatically than necessary and sighed. “Alright, I’ll make an antidote.”

“Why are you still standing here then?” Jace shot right back, his voice shaking. Despite his rude words, it was the underlying whimper that tugged at something in Magnus. Maybe it was pity, maybe just some good old malicious glee.

He turned, only to come face to face with his Alexander, his naked chest an angry red in some areas. He looked absolutely miserable and yet he smiled at him, that warm and grateful smile, that usually came with a…

“Thank you, Magnus!”

Alec pressed a quick and chaste kiss onto his cheek. With one last look at them both he finally left for his apothecary, shaking his head along the way and cursing himself for trying to help in the first place.

It was still there, right where he’d left it at the corner of his big work table: the small vial with the pink potion. He shook his head again, mumbling to himself. “As if I’d poison somebody with _itching_ solution. Who does he think I am?”

Still annoyed he started rummaging his shelves for all the things he needed for the antidote. Out in the hallway he heard the front door being closed – _finally_ – closely followed by some grunting noises. There were footsteps, hissing sounds, a frustrated growl. Then more grunting and shuffling, even the occasional whining.

Then Alec’s voice, sharp and spitting mad. “You’re such an idiot! You ruined my night!”

“ _Your_ night? Do you think I enjoy this?” Jace countered right back.

“God.” Alec again. Whining. No, moaning. It almost sounded as if he were in pain. “This is worse than torture! And it is _all your fault_!”

“It’s _your_ boyfriend who messed this up.”

“ _You_ took the wrong vial!”

“He said pink. They were both pink! I took the pinker one, okay?! Dammit, don’t pretend you know the difference between pink and rose, Alec!”

“ _YOU COULD’VE ASKED!!!_ ”

Magnus couldn’t help but snicker. In a strange and maybe messed up kind of way listening to them argue like this was hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. It reminded him of himself and Ragnor. And for the first time, the memory of his dear old friend warmed his heart more than it hurt.

The argument outside died down soon after, leaving only grunts and hisses and impatient wails like ‘Magnus, how much longer?’ or ‘please hurry’.

“You’re lucky this one doesn’t have to simmer for a few hours,” he muttered under his breath.

 

 

***

 

 

Around fifteen minutes later Magnus mumbled a last incantation, his fingers danced in elaborate swirls around the little vial in his hands. Blue wasps of magic engulfed the vial. The yellowish liquid inside lit up, sparkled for a second and settled into a deep mossy green, that seemed to glow softly.

Done!

With a triumphant grin on his face – he’d managed that potion in almost half the time it would usually take by improvising some short cuts he definitely needed to write down later – he headed back to the living room. And stopped dead in his tracks right at the entrance to the room, stunned into silence.

Jace, one of the best young warriors the shadowhunters had to offer, was currently rolling around on his carpet in nothing but his shorts. Rubbing the whole length of his body against the deep-pile carpet, desperate to get some friction, while scraping his nails against any other part of his skin that he could reach. He was clearly at the end of his rope. His grimace alone almost enough to prompt pity in Magnus. Jace’s stele was lying at his side, right next to his still glowing endurance rune that he must have just activated. Not that it was doing him much good. Angry red welts crisscrossed along his thighs, chest and stomach, his sides and his neck. Red smears stained his skin where his frantic scratching had drawn blood.

_My carpet!_

Movement at the corner of his eyes drew his gaze. Alec was leaning against the winding stairs in the corner, using the cold and ornate metal of the banister against his back to get some short-lived relief as he moved against it.

Alec’s eyes lit up with relief as he spotted him, but Jace was too far gone to notice anything but his own misery.

Magnus shook himself after one last look at his carpet. Such a nice carpet.

“I’m done with the antidote.”

Jace was up and right in front of him in the blink of an eye. Magnus was still leaning back on instinct, a bit spooked and surprised at _how fast_ the blond had moved – any vampire would’ve been impressed – as he felt the vial being ripped out of his hand.

But the High Warlock of Brooklyn didn’t let himself get caught off-guard for long.

He got his wits about him just as fast. “A small sip-”

Not fast enough. Jace, eyes red and wild and desperate, like an addict who’d finally managed to get his hands on a small morsel of their favored poison, downed the whole thing in one go.

“-is enough,” he ended lamely, smacked his lips in annoyance and rolled his eyes for the hundredth time that evening.

He watched the blond carefully. Watched as the wildness left his eyes and his face relaxed. Watched the tension in his body ease, his tight muscles uncoil. Jace practically deflated right then and there. Bone deep relief was flooding the blond’s expression, rendered audible in a long and heavy sigh that had almost lewd qualities. To his side he heard Alec sigh as well, his whispered “by the Angel, finally” drifting loudly through the silence. Magnus didn’t turn around. Instead he looked at Jace and counted.

Three.

Two.

One.

The blond’s eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled to the floor.

With yet another annoyed sigh he snapped his fingers and pushed outwards. His magic wrapped around Jace’s unconscious body and stopped his fall a mere inch above the floor. Another snap and his magic dissolved. Jace sank into the deep-pile of the carpet, like an angry red stain amid the light gray material.

Alec was at his side all of a sudden. “Will he be okay?”

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “He’s just knocked out for a while.”

Alec snorted. “You should’ve done that the first time around.”

He probably should have just mixed a strong sleeping potion into his coffee. Sure, it would’ve pissed Jace off, but it would’ve spared them all so much trouble. “I won’t make that mistake again.”

Warm hands wrapped around his waist and he could feel his boyfriend snuggling up against him. Soft kisses trailed up a line from his shoulder to his neck and he instinctively tilted his head to give him better access.

“Thank you,” Alexander mumbled against his skin.

The words registered, as did the alluring ministration, but his eyes still lingered on the floor in front of him in revulsion.

“I need a new carpet.”

It started with a twitch behind him. A chuckle followed, right beside his ear. Then Alexander laughed. Loud and open and infectious. His whole body shaking, the vibrations rumbling through his chest and through their embrace right into Magnus. And he couldn’t help but grin himself.

He’d _missed_ that sound. With all that’s been going on and with his parabatai constantly on edge, Alec hadn’t laughed like this in… far too long.

It ended too soon.

He nodded towards the unconscious, almost naked shadowhunter on his floor. “What do we do about him?”

“I know he doesn’t deserve it, not with the way he was talking to you, but we should probably get him in his bed. I don’t know what’s currently going on with him, but he _needs_ some proper rest.”

Magnus sighed. He’d known Alec would say something like that. He himself wouldn’t have minded leaving him just where he was. The carpet was already ruined, anyway.

Alec snuggled closer against his back, his fingers trailing distracting patterns across the skin of his stomach. And his lips mouthed along the shell of his ear. Soft lips. Hot breath. Wet tongue. It sent shivers down his spine in all the right ways. Alec’s voice was barely more than a breath, low and rumbling, his lips just a hair’s breadth away from his earlobe. “And then we could continue where we left off?”

Now _that_ was more to his liking!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had writing it :D


End file.
